Featherless wren chicks taken in by wildlife trust

jottings

Published:12:14Thursday 22 May 2014

The little ducklings that have been with us for the last two weeks are now in an outside pen and doing their very best to make the whole thing a mud bath.

As soon as we fill the little pond they jump in and then back out again, running through the mud, then back in the water. Within five minutes the water is brown. At least they now look duck shaped instead of little round fluffy balls but they are still as fast.

Our newer volunteers could not believe how difficult they are to catch!

They will soon be ready to go into the new large aviary but first we are having an official opening of this aviary which will be at the start of our Open Day at 11.30am on Saturday, May 31.

Patti Lomax agreed to come and do the honours. The aviary, which is designed to be multi functional, will be dedicated to the memory of her husband Eric (the Railway Man). The Rollo Centre will be open until 2.30pm. There will be various stalls and refreshments, so why not stay for lunch.

The Collared Dove is ready for release now and this will make room for a young Wood Pigeon to take over the small aviary. We have had more young birds in during this week.

Kay has been looking after a Tawny Owlet at home but he is now eating more or less for himself so he doesn’t need home care anymore.

I am carrying about a box with eight tiny Wren babies. Their nest was in a pipe fitting on an industrial estate in Newcastle and was pulled out spilling the babies when the fitting was used. No-one knew the nest was there.

Fortunately they were put in a box with a hot water bottle and a fleece and were brought up to us that night (Friday). I think they were only a couple of days old. They have no feathers, although wee tufts are beginning to appear on the side of their heads today (Sunday).

I start about 4.30am then continue feeding them once an hour until about 9pm. Taking each one out of their paper nest which is on a heat pad, making sure they each get food and each has done a good poo before putting them in a clean nest and covering it lightly with a fleece.

In between feeds I just lift the fleece and if any little beaks open and lift up they get a top up of food. Four of the babies are looking very good. Two are just okay and two are very tiny but still going. I shall be lucky if they survive but so far so good. The picture this week shows just how tiny they are.

The swan from Burnmouth that has metal pins holding together a broken bone in its wing has had some of the ‘scaffolding’ removed. The bone has not healed yet and the bird cannot go onto the pond (although it has a light shower from the hose when his pen is cleaned. More time is needed here.

A swan from Eyemouth is still causing some concern as the vet cannot tell what sort of infection it has. The blood tests have told us nothing. Another one that just needs time.